Meika Decher has been busy this week preparing to surprise her husband Mark with a horse, as he’s been sans equine for several years now. We love the story of how the whole barn came together to surprise Mark on Christmas Eve! Thanks for sharing with EN, Meika, and Go Pacific Northwest Eventing!
Mark meets Wally for the first time.
From Meika:
My husband, Mark, has not owned a horse for a few years, and he has been subtly making comments to our boarders that he might be ready for one. A few days ago, I received a text message from a fellow trainer demanding that I go see a horse that was for sale. She just tried it out, and while he wouldn’t fit into her program due to his size, she was absolutely sure he would work for Mark. In the middle of this text conversation, the trainer for the horse started texting me as well! Apparently, this was a sign. If two people I trust are telling me that this is the ONE, then I needed to make time to see him. Under the guise of going to see an OTTB for one of my working students, we trekked to the barn and fell in love with Wally.
Christmas being a mere four days away, we had to get creative to get Wally to Polestar Farm, try him out and keep the whole thing a surprise for Mark. My mom picked him up in her trailer so that Mark didn’t ask questions about that OTTB in my trailer. He settled in beautifully, and I was able to ride him three times without Mark seeing us. The plan was on Christmas Eve to dress Wally up in red, green and ribbons and then go find Mark and somehow get him into the barn. I concocted a story that there was a pipe leaking, and he needed to help repair it. With a look of dread and pipe wrench in hand, we walked to the barn, and a group of boarders, working students and groom sang “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and watched Mark’s confusion and then smile.
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- Mark meets Wally for the first time.
